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2 Chinese Cloud Banner; Distinguished Flying Cross
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| Pre AVG: |
Graduated from Yamhill High School (1935) and
Linfield College (1939).
2nd Lt., US Marine Air Corps, 1st Marine Aircraft Group, Quantico, VA,
1939-41. Had 17 carrier landings in the F3F and F4F on the
original USS Wasp and USS Ranger.
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| AVG Service: |
Was recruited for the AVG with Chuck Older and Tom Haywood. After
resigning his officer's commission with US Marine Air Corps, he signed a
one-year contract in 1941 with Central Aircraft Manufacturing Co., a
covert cover for the AVG. He joined a large group of other
volunteers in San Francisco and then sailed to Hong Kong in June 1941.
From there they sailed to Singapore and then boarded an English flagged
ship to Rangoon, Burma. The trio soon joined with the first forces
to arrive in Burma, and later were the first of the AVG to reach Toungoo
in September 1941. Ken was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, "Hells Angels,"
at Mingaladon and Magwe, Burma; Loiwing, Mengshi, and Kunming, China.
He flew P-40B's and P-40E's in combat in Burma and China and
participated in the first air battles over Rangoon on December 23 and
25, 1941. He would become the AVG's fifth-ranking ace with 10.5
kills.
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| Post AVG, WWII: |
Experimental Test Pilot at Republic Aviation,
Long Island, NY, 1943-45. Completed extensive tests on the
P-47B through the N model. Flew every WWII fighter aircraft and
really enjoyed the P-38's, P-51's, F4U Corsairs, and F6F's.
Prior to a test flight in an F6F, he met Charles Lindberg.
Lindy took the first flight in the aircraft, but on his final
approach, the landing gear wouldn't come down. After several
high altitude dives, the gear dropped into place. Later Ken
jokingly thanked Lindberg for checking out the plane for him.
"He was really a nice guy and would talk with everybody."
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| Post War Career: |
Coca Cola Bottler 1946-1991
Mayor of Hood River - 1959-1961 and 1989-1991
Oregon State Representative 1967
Oregon State Senator 1969 - 1991
Completely retired since 1991
Namesake for Hood River's Ken Jernstedt Airfield, June 2001.
Information updated by Mike Allegre
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